Quick Honey Apple Rye Bread

Yes, OK, I forgot to bake. I’m hungry and I have bee shit to be getting on with. This means I need something quick to prepare but a quick breakfast doesn’t have to be a crap breakfast and at weekends we like to break fast well.

In my usual slapdash way none of this has been measured and I made it up as I went along. The rye adds a nutty spicing hit to the loaf but use what you want.

Stick the oven on at 170 before you start.

Rye flour – about 400g half white and dark, wholemeal or plain flour would be fine

Butter – about a third of a pack.

Apples – two

Baking soda – two handfuls ( or tablespoons if you must)

A cinnamon stick

Cider – enough to make the dough. This provides the acid for the soda, if you don’t use it substitute baking powder for soda.

Dice the two apples – with skin ( it’s the best bit!) they get thrown in the microwave on medium for a couple of minutes – until they’re soft. A large dollop ( that’s not even a tablespoon in the pic, it’s serving spoon) honey goes on top to soften as they cool.

Whilst the apples are cooking rub the flour and butter then add the baking soda and cinnamon.

Top tip – cinnamon grinds a more easily if you put a bit of sugar in the mortar with it ( or just buy ground, I won’t judge – well maybe a little bit.)

Stir in the honey and apple mix and add enough cider to make a soft sticky dough. The acid and soda will got to work immediately so be quick in putting it on a tray and shaping.

30 mins at 170 does the job. That’s plenty of time to unite a couple of bee colonies.

I was in a rush so the butter wasn’t chilled, the oven wasn’t warm enough so the dough spread a bit. Do I care? Nah! It still tastes bloody marvelous.